Figuring It Out - Genos X Reader

Monster Blood and Egg Drop Soup

Author's Note, Please Read:

Hey guys! I've started publishing the rewritten version of this story on my ao3 account. I've decided to leave the old version here, just in case. I really hope you can check it out, I added quite a bit more! You can find it here: https://bit.ly/3a32Kry

Anyway, thank you so much for reading! :)

Being a C-Class hero wasn't exactly easy, even for those high in the ranks. With the weekly quota and the fact that few people even knew who you were, there were probably better jobs for you out there. Of course, you didn't have to be a hero, but with powers like yours, you really wanted to be out there helping people. Your superhuman strength that varied entirely on the intensity of your emotions made sifting through rubble for survivors and helping people get to safety pretty easy. And since you weren't in it for the fame, you supposed being C-Class wasn't all that bad. A little extra income would be nice though, and that's exactly what you were mumbling to yourself as you made the daily climb up the staircase to your small apartment in City Z. The place was dangerous - chock full of monsters and very abandoned - but that meant rent was crazy cheap, and if it meant also having to fend for yourself, you were more than willing.

It was funny though, that out of the practically empty apartment building, you got the one next to what seemed like the only other person living there. You were pretty sure he said his name was Saitama; he was a guy a little older than you, bald, and kept to himself. Well, most of the time. Every so often he would come knocking at your door to ask if he could borrow food: sugar, rice, a vegetable, something he couldn't be bothered to run all the way to the store for. It didn't matter, you usually had enough to let him have some, and you would much rather be friends with your only neighbor than enemies.

One evening you had just came back from the grocery store and had stooped down in front of the building to pet one of the stray cats that regularly came by to beg for food. It purred and chirped as it strutted around and between your legs, arching its back as you scratched it. A bright glimmer in the corner of your eye caught your attention, and you turned to see what it was. Shielding your eyes from the blinding golden hour light, you realized it was the shiny metal body of a man standing just a few meters away. He looked kind of familiar, maybe you'd seen him with your neighbor a few times. You smiled and waved at him, and he gave a small wave back before heading into the building.

You followed shortly after up to your own apartment, slipping out of your shoes and setting your bags on the counter. Your empty stomach had some very strong words for you, so you quickly got to work chopping some vegetables and getting dinner ready. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. You smiled to yourself, figuring it was your neighbor once again, and went to open the door. Before you could even register who was standing there, however, the door flung all the way open and you were violently shoved backwards into your apartment. In stepped a hulking figure, human-like but far bigger. The monster's skin was shiny green with sharp, hooked spines protruding everywhere like a cactus. His eyes were completely black and his toothy grin was sickeningly evil as he loomed over you.

He spoke in a nearly demonic, gravely voice. "I'm looking for the one they call The Caped Baldy. Word on the street is he lives here." He reached down to grab your arm in his large, spiny hand.

You winced at his grip, but stared him down. "Do I look bald to you? You've got the wrong place, get out of here," you spat.

"You lie," he snarled, and in one swoop he threw you to the side right into the wall. The drywall cracked and crumbled above you as you slumped to the floor, the wind knocked out of you.